


Kiss Drabbles

by Nutriyum_Addict



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Angst, Awkward Boners, Bedtime Stories, Candy, Cookies, Cuddling & Snuggling, Drunken Kissing, Drunkenness, Episode Related, F/M, Kissing, Laughter, Long-Distance Relationship, Naked Cuddling, Parent-Child Relationship, Post-Break Up, Pregnancy, Reconciliation Sex, Surprise Kissing, True Love's Kiss
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-22
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-08-10 11:41:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7843540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nutriyum_Addict/pseuds/Nutriyum_Addict
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This was for a kiss prompt and it kind of took on a life of its own!</p><p>Comments and kudos are always well-loved and completely appreciated and I hope you enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote>





	1. Kisses because I missed you and you really shouldn’t stay away so long

It’s eight o'clock on a slightly muggy Friday evening when she finally opens the front door, her eyes widening and her mouth dropping open in surprise. It’s actually a very sweet and dopey face that Leslie’s making, so he almost starts laughing at the sight.

Almost because really, Ben barely has the time to react much at all, before Leslie is flinging herself at him with enough force to almost knock him back a few steps on her front porch.

If her greeting last month in DC was a bit reserved (they were at the Smithsonian after all), right now it’s immediate and definitely enthusiastic, all of her wonderfully soft and warm body parts excitedly pushing up against his. But instead of budging, Ben just absorbs the force and wraps his arms around his girlfriend, pressing against her as she attacks his face with hers.

“Ben!” She finally gets out between kisses. “Ben! What are–”

“Hi,” he says simply, pulling back a bit to smile at her.

He feels her calm down a little in his arms, before nuzzling into his neck and peppering his jaw with little kisses.

She says something about him smelling like cinnamon before she licks the skin of his neck and when his shoulder bag starts to slip, he just lets it go and it lands on her porch with a soft thud. One hand was in her hair and the other was cupping her ass and Ben had no interest in letting go of either for long enough to actually stop it, so it was just… _goodbye bag_.

“I didn’t know you were coming home this weekend!”

He looks at her, still grinning. “Surprise. Um, well, actually I was going to drive out last weekend with April but that kind of turned into a parking garage disaster, so this weekend we flew out. I just dropped her off at home and–”

He stops explaining when Leslie’s lips brush eagerly against his once more, followed by her tongue against his and yeah, he’s missed this a lot. Both hands settle around her waist as he walks her back inside, neither bothering to move their lips away from the other. Somehow the door gets shut and then she’s backed up against it, Ben bringing his hand up quickly so her head has a cushion against the hard surface, just as their foreheads and noses touch.

He’s got her t-shirt pulled up over her breasts (god, he’s also missed the hot pink bra), and her hand is in his pants before he remembers his bag out on her front porch. Ben is also not entirely sure that he remembered to lock the rental car, but right now, both seem fairly unimportant.


	2. First Kiss (One of the triplets)

It’s a chilly spring day when Ben turns the car into the elementary school’s back parking lot. The pick-up/drop-off section in front was full of busy DC parents, so he figures he’ll just park here and then walk around to the front to meet Stephen after AM kindergarten. Sonia and Wes are at home, still getting over colds so he only has one little monster to pick up.

Maybe he’ll suggest stopping for frozen yogurt on the way home as a special treat.

As he’s walking towards the building, he sees a crowd of older kids, (maybe second or third graders?) crowding around and giggling. Ben walks closer to see what the fuss is about and stops in his tracks when he sees his own child standing in the middle of the group… and Stephen is kissing a little girl that Ben does not recognize.

Kissing her on the mouth.

He can feel himself starting to make the dopey face, because this is certainly a big, unexpected surprise.

Granted, the kiss is just a series of innocent, little closed-mouthed pecks and both of them are laughing too, but Ben clears his throat to get everyone’s attention and hopefully break it up.

“Daddy!”

At that outburst, the older kids run away leaving just Stephen and Ben and… _Stephen’s girlfriend_?

“Bye!” The little girl tells his son quickly and then she’s off too, long red hair flying behind her.

Stephen walks over and takes Ben’s hand like nothing out of the ordinary is happening. “Hi daddy.”

“Um, hi.”

The little boy tugs but Ben stays in place, instead crouching down to look at his son. “What was that about?”

“We were kissing,” Stephen tells him matter-of-factly, before adding, “like a mommy and daddy.”

“Yes. Okay. Can you tell me why?” He’s not mad of course, just a bit confused.

Are six year olds supposed to like kissing? He didn’t think so but then again, he might not have his finger on the pulse of kindergarten youth culture.

Stephen shrugs. “It makes them laugh.”

“Who? The older kids?”

His son nods, smiling. “It’s funny and weird. But Claire smells like cheese sometimes.”

“Alright,” Ben says, not quite sure what to make of that..or this whole situation, really. But he feels like he should confirm one detail right away. “But does Claire want to kiss you?”

“Daddy, yes. It was her idea, but also…” Stephen trails off.

“What?”

He watches as his son digs around in his coat pockets for a few seconds and then pulls out a few wrapped _Starburst_ candies, a couple of pieces of gum, and some wrapped chocolate bars. “We get candy!”

Ben frowns. What? “The older kids give you–”

“CANDY! TO KISS! Is that why you and mommy kiss so much? DADDY! IT’S CANDY! LOOK!”

He’s still a bit confused and Ben feels like he should say something about not doing something physical with someone to get something in return, or not kissing for attention, or maybe even go into a serious discussion about gender politics, but then he stops himself because his young son is only six and he just wants to make people laugh and get candy.

But, he and Leslie should probably discuss it tonight and figure out a strategy for dealing with this unique and unexpected kisses-for-candy racket his son and Claire have going on.

For now, he brushes some hair out of Stephen’s happy face and looks down at his son’s hands and his impressive stash of kiss candy. “Hey, is that a… _Toblerone_?”

Stephen nods, laughing excitedly. “We get good candy!”

Ben leans in and kisses the little boy on the forehead. “Can I have some?”


	3. A Kiss We Had to Wait For (or The Wait in the Tower for True Love's Kiss)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was for a kiss prompt and it kind of took on a life of its own!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always well-loved and completely appreciated and I hope you enjoy!

Once upon a time, Princess Leslie of the House of Knope surveyed the Kingdom of Eagleton ( _ugh_ ) from her small window at the very tippy-top of her tower prison. Yes, she had a window but it was hundreds and hundreds of feet straight up and although she'd constructed a sort of rope (from some extra bedding and all of her undergarments tied together) to hang down, no one had yet climbed up to help a princess out.

A few knights had started to ascend, but then they'd given up or shouted up some ridiculous excuse less than halfway up.

One spoke of a dentist appointment he had forgotten about, while another had simply said that he "wasn't feeling it," and slid the few feet back down to the ground. One potential visitor had looked up, seen her and shrugged, then brought a woman that Leslie had recognized from around the kingdom (Rebecca?) to enjoy a beautiful picnic at the base of the rope. The couple had wine and flowers and everything.

Oh and skywriting with dragon's fire-breath? Not always positive.

So now you might be asking yourself, well, why doesn't she just climb down herself? She has her handmade rope, after all!

Very true, wise reader, but you see, the princess wasn't just imprisoned structurally, but also with cruel and malicious magic.

Her evil stepfather, the utterly incompetent King Jeremy of Jamm had imprisoned her when her mother, Queen Marlene was away on an important diplomatic mission--she'd already been gone many months and wasn't due back for many more. During the queen's absence, the poor excuse for a king had tricked Leslie into going up to the secluded tower chambers by promising her a whole cupboard full of s'mores rations. But when she'd climbed up all of the steps, the door had locked behind her and King Jeremy had yelled out, " _Ha! You've just been Jammed_."

Through the door, he'd also explained that she would not be able to leave the tower until she'd experienced true love's kiss. And then he'd laughed like a drunken and obnoxious hyena and thrown a few stink bombs right outside her prison's door.

That was two months ago, judging by the hashmarks Leslie had been using to keep track of the time.

Since then, she'd constructed her climbing rope and had tried to get the attention of various knights and townsfolk (she really wasn't picky at this point), but, well, she'd had horrible luck so far. During one of her allowed visits, the princess's handmaiden, the beautiful Ann of Perkins had even tried kissing Leslie, but they were both tragically heterosexual and although she loved her best friend and handmaiden with all her heart, it was not enough to break the magic spell.

To add insult to injury, there were not even any s'mores supplies up here...just a whole cabinet full of chard juice (when she drank it, it tasted like a tree had barfed in her mouth) and an assortment of disgusting salads. Although, sometimes exotic starfish Ann was able to sneak her up a waffle or two from the nearby kingdom of Pawnee--which quite honestly, seemed like a much better place to live than Eagleton.

During her time in the tower, Leslie had even created a _Wall of Inspirational Women_ to help stay motivated and to keep her spirits up, but still, she was a prisoner.

That one day, while the princess was gazing out her window, she saw a man she didn't recognize as an Eagletonian approach her rope. He was on horseback but dismounted and tied up his white steed while he examined the colorful strands of woven materials hanging all the way down to the ground. He appeared to have a a taut, narrow frame like a sexy elf king and made a confused face when he saw the end of her long contraption--a satiny black bra (it was her most attractive binding and she'd hoped it would entice her true love to climb up to her).

"Hello?" She shouted down.

He looked around, still seemingly bewildered, so she added an, "up here!"

The man looked up.

"Oh, um, hi."

"Hi! I'm Princess Leslie and I've been imprisoned by my evil stepfather King Jeremy of Jamm," She'd found it easiest to just get everything out there from the beginning. "He's been away for a few of weeks, but he's going to be returning soon. Maybe you could help me escape before he gets back?"

Her _possible_ true love frowned. "That's terrible. I'm the gold auditor for the empire of Indiana and I'm on my way to Pawnee, the next kingdom over. But, I think I have time to help you out."

"You'd have to climb up my rope," Leslie yelled down, giving the man what she hoped was a seductive wink. Of course, he probably couldn't see it from all the way down there, but you never know, she thought, mentally adding a _stay positive, Leslie!_ to herself.

"Can't you just climb down to me and my horse Cleo? Because I fully believe that women are capable of anything that men can do and I don't want to insult you by assuming that you need rescuing...I'm very progressive like that."

Leslie's smiled in approval even as she shouted, "You're right, of course I could climb down, but there are certain magical conditions that need to be met before I can actually leave the tower. And to do that, you need to come up here to me."

"Oh." He looked around and then seemed to examine the satiny start of her rope further. "And this is...um, is this a brassiere?"

"Yep. And there's more of those on the way up, buddy." She winked again.

He smiled up at her confusedly but started to climb regardless.

During his journey, they continued to shout back and forth and get to know one another.

His name was Ben Wyatt and he was originally from the Kingdom of Partridge to the northwest ( _Ye olde_ _enchanted land of ten thousand lakes_ was their motto), he'd come into power as a teen and had soon after been banished for squandering the land's gold on something called, _Ice Hamlet_. According to Ben, it was a winter amusements complex that almost bankrupted the whole entire kingdom.

Since then, he'd been trying to redeem himself by assisting other kingdoms in responsible financial management and avoiding bankruptcies.

Of course, Leslie tended to think gold reserves and kingdom budgets were a bit boring (wasn't the whole idea of a monarchy to provide services and make their subject's lives better through programs like public green spaces and royal apprenticeships?), but Ben seemed noble. He was friendly, cute, more than half way up, and hadn't given up yet.

"I can't believe you made this," he said at one point, resting a bit against the stone wall as his foot wrapped tighter around a bright pink bra and he grasped onto her favorite pair of white lacy bloomers. "This is...unbelieveable."

"Thanks. It was Lady Madeleine of Albright's idea."

"Lady Madeleine of Albright? The Empire's most revered diplomat? She's up there with you?"

Leslie grinned happily when Ben's words confirmed that he actually knew who Lady Madeleine was. But then, she realized how odd that might have sounded. "Oh, no. She's just... _onmywallofinspirationalwomen_."

He made the face that Leslie was becoming quite familiar with and asked, "What was that you mumbled?"

She sighed. Great. Now this one was going to think she was crazy and make an excuse to not finish the climb up to her window.

"My wall of inspirational women," Leslie finally confessed. "Up here. I have portraits I painted to...keep me company. Awesome ladies that I admire. I mean, Lady Madeleine didn't really talk to me or anything, I just thought of it while I was staring into her eyes. She's very...inspirational."

"Oh," Ben smiled. "That's cute. And I mean that in an _I'm impressed by your craftiness_ way, not in a patronizing one."

"I understand," Leslie assured him happily.

After his break, as Ben started climbing up the last few hundred or so feet, Leslie excused herself to tidy up a bit. Unfortunately, she'd been a little lax in keeping her tower room in order.

And also, she was of course without under-things, as she'd used all from the meager changes of clothes that her stepfather had supplied, in hopes of escaping. A glance down her body reminded her that this fact was going to be fairly obvious to Ben. But instead of making her feel embarrassed, it kind of gave her the tingles in her nether regions.

 _Mmmmm-hmmmm_. Maybe this wiry and tempting auditor on his way to Pawnee _would_ actually be able to help her escape her imprisonment?

Princess Leslie did the best she could to pile everything against one of the stone walls. It still looked a bit like a _scary nightmare hoarder's_ _nest_ (Ann's words), but hopefully, that would not stand in the way of true love. Besides, it really wasn't that bad. She had a system.

Although Ben had started his climb in the morning, it was past nightfall when a strong and capable hand appeared at the window's ledge. It was followed by another and then a crown of thick, dark hair all sticking up and looking sexily windblown.

She had waited hours for Ben to get up to her and now, Leslie quickly rushed to the window's opening and helped him climb inside.

"You made it!"

Ben grinned at her and nodded proudly.

Then his eyes traveled down to the curve of her breasts and widened a bit. To his credit, his gaze jumped back up to her face pretty quickly, but Leslie decided to give him a pass on gawking at her _chestal region_. Her simple dress was thin and white and fairly see-through without her undergarments and he'd just spent half a day climbing up a tower wall for her.

She decided that he had earned a peek at the goods.

"Um...hi," he said and then glanced around her chamber briefly, taking in all of the quilts she had sewn, the important lady portraits she had painted, and the recent drawings of courtyard designs hung up on the walls that weren't covered by boxes and knick-knacks.

"You did all of this? With your own paws?" His eyes widened in embarrassment. " _Hands_. I meant hands. You have hands."

He was so adorable, she just wanted to jump on him and attack him. Instead she nodded, unable to keep herself from grinning.

"Yes, I've been imprisoned for two months so far. I've had some time on my... _paws_."

They shared a flirty smile at her joke.

"You really did all of this in two months?"

Leslie nodded proudly.

"Good lord."

"Oh! Where are my royal manners? I'm afraid all I can offer you is some chard juice by way of refreshment."

Her suitor seemed skeptical of the thirst quenching powers of chard, but accepted her offer. He took a sip and then made a face like he was trying to air out his tongue.

Leslie was very used to making that face herself.

"Oh my god. That tastes like a tree barfed in my mouth," he managed to get out.

She laughed. In fact, she probably full-on cackled. "I know, right? That's exactly how I describe it. So disgusting. Sorry, I should have warned you."

" _Blech_ ," Ben added for good measure, but then assured her, "It's okay. But now that I'm up here, what do I need to do?"

"Oh, that. Well, see, here's the thing. We need to...kiss."

The next face he made was a new one. It involved a coy little blush and a small, flustered laugh, like he had no idea exactly what he was doing to her.

"We need to... _kiss_?"

"Yep. On the mouth," she clarified. "A true love's kiss."

Ben looked around again, grinning wider as he noticed all of the political biographies on the bookshelf she had constructed herself. He stepped closer.

"And how do you know this will work, princess? I mean, that I'm your true love?"

Leslie inched closer to him, so that they were almost touching. "Well, I guess I won't know for sure until we kiss. But...I want to try. I want to take a risk. It's worth it."

Their lips were mere inches apart when she suddenly moved back. "Oh no."

"What? What's wrong? I--"

"Sorry. Sorry. I just...I should not have... _crap on a quill_."

Leslie looked down at his hand and took the small glass of unfinished chard juice from Ben's grasp. She took a deep breath and brought the offending elixir to her mouth and quickly downed the rest. She shuddered through the taste and stuck her tongue out briefly, just as he had.

She then let the glass fall to the ground, where it didn't break, but instead rolled over towards a couple of birdhouses.

"Okay. Now it's fair. We can kiss because we'll both taste of that wretched vegetable."

He laughed but moved closer again, briefly rubbing his nose against hers in a way that sent butterflies right to her belly. But seconds before their lips touched he apparently decided to tease her, "You sure about this?"

Leslie's whole body was on fire with anticipation, especially since her chest was pushing against his and Ben's warm brown eyes were staring at her intently. "Oh my god, Ben. Yes. Just kiss me already."

He did.

He kissed her and it was awesome. It was amazing. There were tingling sensation throughout her whole body as he held her close. She felt flushed. Her muscles relaxed and yet she felt awake. Really, it was just waves of pleasure throughout all of her. She wasn't sure where Ben's mouth began and hers ended. When his hands slid down her back to squeeze her butt through the thin cotton of her dress, she moaned into his mouth.

They kept kissing even as the spell was broken and the door to her prison magically sprung open.

They kept kissing as the moon rose and the stars came out.

They kissed while fumbling backwards onto her bed and kissed some more as they laid down and both worked to push her dress up.

Eventually, Ben broke the kiss to take a rosy nipple between his lips, while his fingers did something absolutely mind-blowing between her damp thighs.

They didn't actually do _everything_ but they did do a lot and Leslie couldn't wait to tell her handmaiden all about Ben's wondrous and glorious penis. And also about how his mouth and tongue had done absolutely scandalous things to her. Things that made her spread her legs even wider, writhe with intense pleasure, and tug at his soft, messy hair.

It was close to early morning before she had the good sense to reluctantly push him away.

"What's happening?" His face moved towards hers and his disheveled hair and easy smile made her regret the action almost immediately. "Are you okay? Should we not have--"

"We really need to leave," she insisted, coming to her senses again with a start.

Oh, but his mouth was so tempting...like a friendly and warm kiss monster. And also, Ben the Auditor was quite warm and cuddly for someone that visited kingdoms and cut royal programs like a fascist hardass.

"Actually, this is kind of cozy up here and--"

"Ben! Come on! The magic spell? The imprisonment? My evil stepfather? Ring any bells?"

His eyes widened. "Oh shit. I forgot about all of that. I just really liked kissing you."

"Yeah, me too. Liked kissing you," she smiled and then _oops_ , they were kissing again and her hands were grabbing his flat and perfect butt to tug him closer, as his palm traveled along her bare hip and...

"No. No. No!"

"What?" Ben muttered at her distress, before adding an exasperated, "Oh, _fucking hell_. We need to stop doing this here."

They both jumped off the bed and secured their clothing.

He took her hand decisively like it was the most natural thing in the world, and they carefully crossed the threshold out of her tower room. Leslie held her breath until she was on the other side of the open door, only releasing it when they'd started down the dark, long stairway.

She was exhilarated! She was free! She had a true love! She was not wearing any undergarments and it all felt absolutely... _liberating_!

"So, you're coming with me to Pawnee now, right?" Ben asked, as they quickly made their way down. "I think you'd like it."

"Yep. You're not getting away that easy, mister. My handmaiden actually lives there so I'm sure she'll be happy to no longer have to commute to Eagleton everyday. I also happen to know that the Empire's best waffles are there," she said, already looking forward to her adventure with her one true love.

"Alright. We can definitely get waffles," he agreed. "It'll help get rid of the lingering chard aftertaste. Also, we should probably get married. You know, because of all the kissing and...other stuff," Ben paused and gave her a heated look. "And all of the other things that I definitely want to do to you."

Leslie shivered at his words and felt heat race through her loins as she giggled. They paused for a quick yet passionate kiss.

"And when my mother Queen Marlene returns from her mission, I can send word that I am safe and living in Pawnee."

"That sounds like a plan," Ben commented as they made their way to the very last step, but then stopped abruptly, tugging at her hand. "Wait. Your mother is...Queen Marlene? _That_ Queen Marlene. _The Iron Cock-Shredder of the Kingdom of Eagleton_? You mean I just did all of those things...up there in the bed, with, um, the Iron Cock-Shredder's daughter? Oh god."

By the time they'd mounted his horse Cleo and crossed the border into Pawnee, Leslie had just about convinced Ben that all would be okay with her ball-busting mother. On their quick journey, she had devised the perfect plan to win the queen's approval of her only daughter's true love by coaching Ben on her mother's like and dislikes, counseling him to present a forceful and self-assured demeanor at their initial meeting, and suggesting that he offer the queen a gift of a golden music box.

But that, dear reader, is a tale for another day.

* * *

Ben was laughing quietly next to her in bed, as his palm rested against Leslie's very rounded stomach. He continued to rub her belly softly, like he had been doing for the last half hour while she read him the tale of _The Wait in the Tower for True Love's Kiss_. His warm hand felt really good on her and the babies seemed to enjoy it as well, based on their occasional kicks and contented movements.

"So, do you like it?" Leslie asked, as soon as she put her tablet on the bedside table.

He nodded. "I do. But I have to wonder if that's really an appropriate _children's_ story. What with the oral sex and the swearing."

"Oh, that version was just for you. The deluxe edition, if you will. I wouldn't include that in the actual book."

"Okay," Ben agreed. "But isn't it a little bit like _Rapunzel_?"

Leslie sat up a little more. "What? Her? No way! Totally different. Princess Leslie does not grow her hair all the way down to the ground, that's just silly."

"Alright," he nodded. "Instead she constructed a climbing device out of her underwear."

"And sheets! Lots of extra sheets! It was very ingenious."

Instead of responding with words, Ben laughed softly again and nuzzled into her.

Leslie had been so tired the last couple of weeks that she had started taking more naps and even getting into bed much earlier at night. But while she was definitely more exhausted, she'd still found herself wanting a creative outlet. Then, she'd had a dream about writing a series of new and updated fairy tales for a twenty-first century audience.

She was still friendly with the publishing company that had handled _Groffle the Awful Waffle,_ so maybe they'd be interested _._ Yep, at seven-and-a-half months pregnant she could totally pen a series of children's books while still working mostly full-time. Of course she could.

"But the _Iron Cock Shredder of the Kingdom of Eagleton_?" Ben inquired next with a raised eyebrow. "And not wearing panties gave you a _tingling nether region_?"

Well, he maybe had her there. Leslie started laughing too and cuddled into him, rubbing her foot against his flannel pajama pants covered-leg. "Fine. You might have a point. This one is perhaps, not a children's story."

"But I really like it," he added quickly. "It's not a children's story but it is kind of _our_ story. I did search all over the Empire of Indiana for you. Waiting to kiss my one true love," Ben whispered as she turned in his arms.

And then they kissed until Leslie fell asleep.

 


	4. Tipsy Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oops, this kind of went into full-on drunk. ;-)

She’s with Ben in a dark, quiet corner of the Snakehole Lounge in a weirdly sticky booth. _Eww_ , Leslie thinks as she readjusts her left elbow to rest on a less disgusting part of the table, but then he’s leaning forward, his face just inches from hers.

So really, Leslie is mainly focusing on Ben’s blurry face parts with his warm brown eyes, solid jaw, and all the thick brown hair he has sticking up.

And she’s not at all thinking about her fight with Ann.

Nope. Just Ben.

Ann makes her feel angry and sad, while right now, Ben is making her feel happy and warm.

Of course, Tom’s Snakejuice is making her feel tipsy.

Well, okay, she passed tipsy a couple of hours ago, way before she and Ann started yelling at each other in the women’s restroom.

Stop. Ben. Think about Ben.

Leslie refocuses her eyes on his face again (and why is that so hard…does she need glasses?)

“You’re pretty,” she gets out and then dissolves into giggles.

Ben laughs too, before telling her, “Wait. Isn’t that my line? No. You’re pretty, Leslie Knope.”

“Ohhhh.” She can feel the big smile forming on her face as his words sink in. “Well, I think you’re cute and you have a cute butt. Even Ann thinks so.”

“Why is Ann looking at my butt?” Ben asks and then takes another drink from his glass of Snakejuice.

“No. She’s not. She’s too busy looking at all the other butts. Sorry. That was _superfudge_. It’s just me looking at your butt.” She’s not quite sure she said that word for deception right, but he seems to get it.

In fact, Ben nods slowly with his chin sticking out. “So you’re not mad at me tonight?”

Leslie makes a face. “What? No. Perpostit..perprompter… _preposterous_ , good sir!” She finally gets that one out and they clink glasses.

“Good.” Ben sounds relieved as he gives her another nod. “I look at your butt too sometimes. But I’m your boss and sex is forbidden because you work for me. It’s been confirmed to my recent evening attention and that is our situation.”

Leslie starts laughing because Ben just said the word _sex_ to her, but even so, she moves closer so that their thighs are touching as they sit side-by-side.

 _Mmmmmm…sex_.

“I work for you,” she agrees, turning her whole body to face him, so that her knee brushes against his thigh. He’s her boss and she doesn’t want to lose her job. Right. That’s the situation.

“And I wouldn’t spank you unless you wanted me to,” Ben says.

At least that’s what she _thinks_ he says, which seems like a kind of surprising thing for him to tell her but also somehow it’s weirdly sexy, but then they start doing that thing where they’re angling heads to try and get closer without bumping noses.

Of course, she and Ben are also laughing and so, so drunk but their lips finally touch.

He tastes like beer and Snakejuice and oh god, soon she can’t believe that they’re sloppy-frenching right here in a booth at the Snakehole Lounge. Are they crazy? Ben Wyatt is her boss and sex is forbidden because she works on him.

 _For_ him. She works for him.

When he pulls away, Ben nods once more and grins cockily. “That was cool beans, Leslie Knope.”

She holds her hand up and after a second’s hesitation, he gets it and slaps her palm firmly.

“I’m going to…tomorrow…remember this. The kissing. On our mouths,” Leslie insists. “It was awesome.”

“Oh! Good idea! Me too. I’m gonna super remember awesome kissing you,” Ben insists, before draining the rest of his glass.

“Should we kiss aga–”

“There you are! Everybody’s wasted, so why not you two as well.”

Ben and Leslie turn their heads to see Donna standing at the edge of their booth, hands on hips. At least Leslie is 75% sure that it’s Donna. Maybe it’s Jerry. She squints.

Nope. Donna.

“The ride home is leaving in five minutes, so wrap it up,” the intruder tells them and wow, this person does not seem to be messing around. “And if anyone even so much as dry heaves in my car, you’re all walking home.”

“Who was that? I’m drunk,” Ben whispers, as they both watch _probably-Donna_ walk around the bar hunting for more of the Parks department.

“Hey! Me too! Donna. Or Ron. Did she have a mustache?”

Ben starts laughing. “I don’t know. Maybe? Now don’t forget to remember the thing.”

Leslie makes a face, What is he talking about? _Ohhhh_ , god, he’s so cute. Why can’t she sex on him again?

“What? Forget what? A thing? Hey,” she looks down and holds out the bottom hem of her blouse to him. “Are these birds on my shirt?”

“Crap. I forgot the thing. Um, maybe turkeys?” Ben squints at her and then leans down and talks directly to the material, “Hi bird. What kind of bird are you?”

They’re both still laughing and discussing her new red blouse (they decide on pheasants), when Donna circles around again with Tom, April, and Andy in tow, wrangling them from the sticky Snakehole booth and out into the night.


	5. Kisses because I don’t want you to go and maybe I can convince you to stay just a few minutes longer

“Stay,” is all he says and then Ben settles on top of her, pinning Leslie to the mattress.

“Babe, my fli–”

She doesn’t get the rest of the sentence out because he’s kissing her, slow and deep, the kind of Ben-kiss that always makes her stomach drop and her toes curl. Her flight leaves in two hours and it’s at least a 45 minute drive to the airport, but how is she supposed to go downstairs to the lobby of his swanky apartment building and get a cab when her sexy, big-shot political boyfriend is kissing her like this and covering her body with his?

Exactly.

He finally, slowly shifts a bit, knees firmly on the mattress and lips now against her neck. Not kissing exactly, just lightly brushing against her skin in a sort of sensual torture that Ben seems to specialize in.

“We both take tomorrow off,” he mumbles and then his teeth tug on her earlobe.

“Oh. Yes,” Leslie sighs. “And we go to the National Postal Museum for their _Power of the Postcard_ exhibit and then the International Spy Museum and then a late lunch at the waffle truck. And then–”

“And then we come back here and turn off our phones and spend a couple hours in bed. You’ll just take the eight o'clock flight Monday night instead.”

“Mmmmmm.”

His mouth is on hers again and it’s so easy to envision sleeping next to him here for one more night. Or getting ready for bed together and holding hands under the covers.

Maybe before falling asleep in Ben’s big DC bed, she’d feel him inside her again–this time from behind, her pajama pants pushed off and tossed towards the end of the bed, or maybe they’d just cuddle up and read late, playing footsie until they finally turned off the lights and she spooned against him.

But now, they roll over and she’s on top, thighs spread so that she’s resting against his stomach and even through her clothes she feels a heat and a need that takes her breath away. That makes her not even want to go back to Pawnee tomorrow.

Leslie presses her forehead to his and closes her eyes. It’s quiet for a few seconds, but then Ben sighs.

“Fuck. Honey, I really, really want to, but I can’t take tomorrow off work.”

“Me neither,” she confesses, still squeezing her eyes shut. “There’s a council meeting that I can’t miss. And then a river clean-up, post-project volunteer jamboree tea.”

“This sucks,” Ben whines under her and when she sits up, Leslie nods in agreement.

He’s still got his hands on her hips and he’s looking up at her all messy hair and deep brown eyes, the sight of him in his now-rumpled, weekend plaid shirt making her eyes water.

It breaks her heart that she has to leave, but she does. She needs to get to the airport _toute de suite_ and onto her flight home to Indiana. And she needs to leave now.

Leslie starts to get up but he keeps his hands planted firmly on her hips.

“Ben, I should–”

“Ten more minutes. I’ll drive you. An intern at NOAA told me about a shortcut to the airport a few nights ago at a reception.”

“But it’s already…” she trails off, turning her head to find his bedside table clock.

“He said it’s supposed to save at least fifteen minutes,” he interrupts, raising an eyebrow.

He’s so tempting with his lazy, smirky grin and then he’s sliding his hands up her sides to easily steer her back down.

“Eight minutes,” she counters, already close enough to feel his warm breath on her cheek.

“Alright. Now give me some more sugar, babe.”

His words are so sexy and ridiculous that she lets out a giggle, and they’re both grinning when their lips touch once more.


	6. Kisses because everything hurts right now including being loved by you but you’re also the only thing that makes it feel better

The chilly night air is completely tension-filled and utterly uncomfortable when Ben starts walking away from her. He has no idea where he’s going, he just can’t stand here anymore. It’s unbearable.

She’s unbearable.

“Let me at least give you a ride back to the park,” she calls after him and he doesn’t need to be looking at her to know what he’d see–-Leslie wearing all her emotions on her face, all sad and beautiful and infuriatingly obtuse.

“Come on, the raccoons are getting ready to prowl. It’s just not safe out here. They can sense weakness. Not that you’re weak, but just you know, walking alone. By yourself. You’d be like a raccoon chew toy.”

Ben sighs and finally turns around to see her, still standing by not-Mick Jagger’s abandoned gas station. She’s staring at him and it definitely seems like she’s trying not to cry, which pretty much deflates his low-simmering anger and makes him feel like crying too.

Fuck. He figures it’s probably four miles or so back to the park where his car is and only a bit less than that to his house.

And honestly, she drove them around in so many circles that he has no idea which way either location actually is. Also, Leslie is probably just going to keep shouting after him no matter what, and if he gets a ride back in the city-owned vehicle, he’ll at least get back to his own car quicker. In theory, at least.

There’s probably a 75% chance Leslie will drive him somewhere else and keep doing this all night.

“…oh and also it’s just past Halloween. That means the satanists are still wandering the streets after dark and–”

“Fine,” he interrupts her and gives Leslie a weak _I give up_ smile. “But let me drive, alright?”

“Okay.”

Her fingers brush against his when she hands him the keys and Ben has to close his eyes and walk towards the driver’s side quickly to keep the temptation to pull her closer at bay.

Sure, he was flirting a bit with Shauna Malwae-Tweep tonight, but he was mainly just going through the motions. Well, it was actually nice to do something that didn’t involve being bummed out about Leslie. And yes, after a time, he was also very aware that Leslie and Ann were watching.

Ben starts the engine and waits for her to get her seatbelt buckled. He’s just about to put the car in drive when he remembers he has no idea which direction to go.

“Um, how do I get–”

“Straight down 3rd and then turn left on Elm and then left on Briar and then–”

“Go around the loop thing to Pine,” he guesses.

“Yeah.”

It’s quiet for a couple of minutes while he heads down 3rd.

“I saw you with Shauna tonight and I…kind of lost my mind,” she admits quietly.

“Yeah. I…” he stops and sighs. “I saw you looking at us and I probably should have been more…considerate of that.”

“No. Ben it’s–”

He turns left on Elm and then cuts her off just as he starts to recognize the scenery. “If I saw you flirting with some guy tonight I…would not have liked that either,” Ben confesses, keeping his eyes on the road.

It takes him a second to realize that the soft sound he’s hearing is Leslie crying.

“Leslie.”

“I’m fine. It’s just…Zorp. I’m sad the world is ending soon. I’ve never been to Paris.”

He pulls the car over, puts it in park, and turns the engine off.

“Are you going to murder me and bury the body nearby?” She’s still crying but joking, a skill of hers that he’s always been impressed by.

“No,” Ben says, as he watches her sniffle. “Look, we should, um, maybe talk.”

“About what?”

His eyes widen and he holds his hands up, to draw her attention to the deserted, dark scenery around them.

“Oh. Right. Okay. I guess.”

She’s not looking at him now, but staring straight ahead intently.

“Leslie, we’re not dating anymore and it’s too hard for me to be around you,” he’s fidgeting with the City of Pawee keychain as he says it. “I can’t–”

“I get it. You hate me. And you never want to see me again.”

“That’s not it. You know that’s not it…” He sighs, trailing off. He’s starting to get impatient again and maybe he should have just taken his chances with the raccoons and the satanists?

“I just miss you.” She whispers after she hiccups and wipes at her eyes, the gesture pulling at his heart.

She’s definitely driving him crazy lately but it’s obvious that she’s hurting too, she’s just reacting to it in a much different and (very) frustrating way.

“I miss you too. That’s why it’s so hard to do this. Spend time with you. I just want to…” Ben stops talking before he can say, _kiss you_. Or _touch you_.

Or any one of the hundred things he misses doing with Leslie. It’s a long list that includes everything from eating popcorn and playing _Risk_ late at night to feeling her clench around him and make him see stars.

He even misses the crumbs from her eating cookies in bed.

Ben misses everything and it all just hurts–-this empty spot that used to be filled with her and now…isn’t.

He’s about to start the car again but she’s fast. She’s just so small and fast. Her seatbelt is unbuckled and when he turns his head, startled at the noise, she’s halfway across the center cup holder and the automatic transmission shifter and she’s smooshing her face to his.

And then Leslie is full-on kissing him.

Ben is surprised at first, but then he’s not. Then he’s pulling her closer and not-so-gently shoving his tongue into her greedy mouth. This is so stupid but suddenly everything he’s been missing the last couple of months is half in his lap and enthusiastically nibbling at his bottom lip.

So how can he not go along with it and want more?

Somehow, through sheer force of will and determination, she ends up all the way in his lap.

Still, the steering wheel must be pressing into her back painfully and god knows he’s made out in more comfortable spots, but right now his hands are tugging at her hips and she’s trying to jerk her puffy vest down and off while not breaking lip-contact. When her palm presses the front of his pants he groans into her mouth and slides his hand up the back of her sweater, against smooth skin and right to where her bra hooks in back.

It seems like he’s gotten hard instantly and he’s thinking of doing all sorts of ridiculously inappropriate things to her almost as fast. Things that would make him feel so much better than anything else has been able to lately–-a Batman costume, new _Game of Thrones_ episodes. Flirting with a pretty, tall brunette at an End of the World gathering in a park.

It’s all seems like nothing compared to kissing Leslie again.

And then somehow, he comes to his senses. They can’t do this. They can’t make out and dry hump like teenagers by the side of the road and he absolutely can not unhook her bra in a government-owned Hyundai right under a bright streetlight, no matter how badly he wants to.

“Les…Leslie…stop.”

“Ben?” Her breath is warm against his and he can still smell the lingering hot cocoa that she must have been drinking all night. If anything, the scent just makes him more turned on.

“We can’t do this here.”

“Oh,” her face falls, but then she smiles, eyes shiny and wet and hopeful. “Backseat?”

He groans and touches his forehead lightly to hers. “No. No. I need to…can you…get off me now? Please?”

She wiggles around in his lap trying to get back over to the passenger’s side, which does nothing to help his erection go away and then she almost accidentally knees him in the groin. They both yelp in surprise and her hand covers him, more in protection than anything else, but she still she has her hand on his dick and that is completely unhelpful to the current situation.

“Oh god, I’m sorry! Are you–”

“Its fine. I’m fine. Just, here…” He opens the driver’s side door and helps her get out that way, which also involves touching her hips and butt along the way, but by now, the uncomfortable bulge in his pants is getting used to being abused this evening.

After she’s out, Ben quickly gets out of the car too and stands, bringing his hands up to his face, rubbing his forehead.

“Alright, look. I know where I am now. You take the car, I’ll walk.”

“I’m sorry. It’s okay. You can drive. I’ll walk,” she counters, but makes no move to start moving away.

“Leslie, it’s late, just take the car, besides, you checked it out at work. It’s fine. I kind of want the…cold air right now. Really.”

She nods slowly and gets back in, but before she drives away, Ben watches as Leslie digs around in her purse.

“Here take this,” she shoves something out the open window at him.

“What–”

“Pepper spray, The raccoons really _are_ dangerous. I wasn’t making that up.”

He takes it with a sigh. “Thanks.”

Ben watches her slowly drive away, zips up his tan jacket, and starts the walk back to the park. With any luck, he figures he’ll get to his car just as the world ends.


	7. Laughing Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place about a month after Chapter 6 ;-)

She’s certainly much more relaxed than she was just a few hours ago, while she was sitting on the park bench and nervously tapping her foot while waiting for Ben to meet her, but still, Leslie can’t sleep quite yet.

Ben on the other hand, doesn’t seem to be having any problems burrowing right down into the covers on her bed and snoring softly. And if that sight isn’t enough to make her all teary-eyed again…well, it _is_ enough and she’s completely tearing up.

Because, her boyfriend( _!!!_ ) is naked and asleep next to her and he’s all warm and cuddly and unguarded, like they haven’t been broken up for the last few months and like he didn’t just almost walk away from her at the Smallest Park. Like he hasn't been frowning at her and calling her obtuse and walking home in the dark just to not have to be alone in a car with her.

But now she gives him one last glance and then quietly slips out of bed.

Leslie hates to leave him (what if this is all a dream? what if he’s gone when she gets back?) but also, her stomach is grumbling and while she was sweeping her fingers lightly through his hair, she started thinking about cookies.

And once she starts thinking about cookies, she’s basically useless until she eats cookies.

It seems like a crazy luxury to wander down to the kitchen naked to go get a snack, but why would she bother with pajamas when Ben is next to her to keep her all warm? Plus, she decides that there’s something really sexy about sneaking out of bed without any clothes on and going downstairs in search of cookies–-all while her lover is asleep in her bed.

Leslie giggles as she grabs a handful of the chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies she made a couple of days ago.

To her great relief, Ben is right where she left him when she gets back, eyes still closed, with his face still sort of smooshed into a pillow. She steps over his discarded pinstripe shirt and brown cardigan on the floor and gets back in bed, taking a big bite out of the second cookie (of course she had already had one while she was walking back up the stairs).

“Are you eating cookies?” He asks a couple of seconds later, his eyes still closed.

She crunches softly and mumbles, “ _No-ofcourfs-phfnot_ ,” her mouth full of cookie.

He opens his eyes and stares at her as she shoves the rest of it quickly into her mouth.

“What was that then?”

“An... _apple_.”

Ben starts laughing and then he’s tugging her back down and covering her body with his and all she can do is smile back and try not to happy-cry again.

“I don’t know why I thought I could wake up without being surrounded by cookie crumbs.”

“ _Apple_ crumbs?”

“Give it up babe, I know you're eating cookies in bed,” he tells her, leaning down for a laughing, grinning kiss.

It’s soft and sleepy, with just enough tongue to make her stomach drop and plenty of soft nose brushes, the silly kind that make her cackle against his lips. That makes Ben laugh even more as he pulls her closer.

“Chocolate chip?” He guesses, kissing near her ear.

Leslie nods, feeling almost giddy at the lightness of their current discussion. “I was hungry and we didn’t eat dinner so…”

Ben looks up and makes a face. “I don’t suppose there’s another cookie up here somewhere?”

Her eyes light up as she turns and stretches over to the night stand, Ben moving over a little to make it easier. Just as she reaches the last cookie with her fingertips, his lips wrap around one of her nipples and she yelps in surprise.

It tickles and feels so good and the tingles from the contact of his tongue shoot right down to between her thighs.

He blows on her wet skin and Leslie wraps her legs around his hips and groans at the contact.

She closes her eyes as he kisses across her chest and then gives the other nipple the same treatment.

Eventually, Ben nuzzles up her neck and then looks at her expectantly. “Cookie.”

Leslie breaks him off a piece and feeds it to him. Then he gets another chunk and while he’s busy chewing, she sneaks the rest of the cookie herself.

“Hey…”

“What? They’re really good cookies.”

Ben nods in agreement and then they smiley kiss again, surrounded by crumbs.

She wants to tell him again how much she missed him and that she’s just so happy that he’s here now.

She wants to tell him that she _was_ listening to him all those times before, but that it just hurt way too much to let him go and now that she has him back, she never, ever, ever wants to break up again.

She wants to tell him that she loves him and that everything finally feels okay. But she also wants to just fully enjoy this easy moment–-to just laugh and hold hands under the covers late at night, and have him tease her about getting crumbs all over the bed.

So for now, Leslie just snuggles closer into Ben and finally closes her eyes.


	8. A kiss because I have literally been watching you all night and I can’t take anymore

When she gets home from the disastrous Model UN event, Leslie is cautiously optimistic that she and Ben can still be friends.

What’s so hard about a fun five-minute conversation at work per day? He’d as good as agreed to it at the high school and she even got a tentative smile out of him, which felt like a huge accomplishment since the man has been so incredibly grumpy lately.

Of course, Leslie knows that once they talk for five minutes, that they’ll just keep talking because how could they not? They’ll keep talking and stay friends forever and he’ll always be in her life.

Besides, even if they can’t date, they’re still _soul mates_. Ben has to understand that. And soul mates need to talk to each other every day at work–they just do.

A soft knock interrupts her thoughts and when she opens the door, Leslie’s very surprised to see Ben.

“This is ridiculous,” he tells her, barely pausing at her front door. In fact, he just walks right in, quickly pushing the door shut behind him, and Leslie has to take a step back to avoid a collision.

Not that she’d really mind it all that much…the kind of collision where his body pushes into hers.

“Ben?”

“ _This_ ,” he spreads his arms out and gestures at the space between them. “Is ridiculous. And we can’t go back to just being friends and you know that.”

“What do you mean? I–”

“You _do_ know,” he steps closer and she has no where else to go. Leslie had already turned a bit to the side and now her back was pressed up against her wall. “Stop acting like us dating and breaking up was no big deal.”

“I don’t think that. It’s a very big deal,” she whispers, suddenly incredibly self-conscious that his face is only a few inches from hers. “I miss you so much.”

“Stop,” he says, almost pleading with her. “Watching you all day today and having to pretend that we were just co-workers was hell. This is hell. I can’t take it anymore.”

Ben’s lips are just inches from hers when he whispers _so stop_ one more time. But Ben doesn’t stop at all.

He keeps pressing closer and then his lips are on hers, fast and hungry and oh god, this is the kind of kiss that makes her knees go weak. The kind of kiss that they usually always worked up to, back when they were dating.

There are no little nips or smiles or silly nose rubbing to get it all started, it’s just Ben’s mouth, hot and open on hers, his whole body pinning her to the wall.

The longer they kiss the more she can feel him grinding his hips into hers and the more turned on she gets.

Boyfriends might love and marry you, but maybe ex-boyfriends barge right into your house and fuck you against a wall?

“This,” he says finally, almost with a growl, “is why we can’t spend time together.”

Leslie can only stare at him, not even knowing how to respond–- _I know? I don’t care? Please, don’t stop?_

And then, for just a moment, Ben closes his eyes and gently rests his forehead against hers. Amid all the current sexual tension, it’s a sweet and unguarded moment that fills her with hope. Of course, his hands are still digging into her hips, almost painfully, but she doesn’t care. In fact, she moans in disappointment when he lets go and moves back.

“I’m sorry, I really am, but I think the Peruvian Senate is going to have to decline your treaty proposal. I just…I can’t do this anymore.”

Leslie doesn’t shut her front door for awhile after she watches him walk away.


End file.
